Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has pardoned a Saudi woman sentenced to 200 lashes after she was gang raped.

The woman, known only as "Qatif girl" after the area where the crime occurred, was raped at knife point by seven men as a former boyfriend drove her home.

She had been sentenced in October 2006 to 90 lashes for being alone in a car with a man who was not a relative but had her punihsment increased to 200 lashes and six months in jail after she spoke out about her case.

"The king always looks into alleviating the suffering of the citizens when he becomes sure that these verdicts will leave psychological effects on the convicted people, though he is convinced and sure that the verdicts were fair," he said.

The decision represents a softening approach towards the rape victim. The justice ministry had defended the woman's punishment, branding her an adulteress who "provoked the attack" because she was "indecently dressed".

The pardon comes on the first day of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, a duty that should be performed by every Muslim at least once in their life. About 1.6 million pilgrims are thought to have travelled to the kingdom this year.

In an interview with Human Rights Watch a year ago, Qatif girl said her brother tried to kill her after learning of the attack and that she had tried to take her own life. The attackers received sentences ranging from two to nine years after being convicted of kidnapping, apparently because prosecutors could not prove rape, said Human Rights Watch even though the group claims the judges ignored a mobile phone video taken by the men during the assault.